The rockfishing has been on the slow side for the couple of boats that made it out into the ocean from here. The crabbing has been slow too, except for Eddie Kim's catch of 35 Dungeness by marker 5 yesterday. That was about 30 more than the next best total that I heard of from the same day. Today at least one boat had a dozen Dungeness back by Hog. The pier crabbers are catching a few with most everyone catching a couple of crabs (mostly reds, but still...). Only another couple of days for rockfish, then we're waiting for April Fool's Day.

   Gage also says the surfperch are still biting. He found a hole on the North end of the beach and it had quite a few perch in it, this being the only one big enough to be worth keeping. The man says the Berkley Power Bait Sandworms in the tub full of juice is the best thing going. Too bad we don't sell those here. Yet.

   Just watched a bunch of sea lions, pelicans and seagulls hammer on a school of herring as they moved into the bay past Sand Point. They were definitely too far out for a cast net to reach but a boat would have done the trick. Maybe I'll get my pickled herring this year. And maybe there's a few stripers following these herring into the bay. The pier has had a few Dungeness caught in the last few days with one crabber catching six yesterday morning with traps and snares. He was using squid, if that helps. He did better than some of the boats that tried inside the bay yesterday.

    Either the fish are getting bigger or Gage's hand is shrinking. Gage assures me that it's the fish that are enlarging. During a lull in the surf yesterday afternoon a few fish were biting in the one hole Gage could find left on the beach. The extensive onslaught of big and bigger surf has erased most of the structure in the shore break but some normal-sized swell should install some new nooks and crannies. Crabbing in the bay has has remained slow for Dungeness with only a few being caught this week. The reds have been pretty good but, lucky for the reds, that's not what most crabbers are after. The ocean has been off limits to Tomales Bay fishermen. Maybe tomorrow? Then back to the big stuff. There's nothing like 10 to 14 foot swells to keep us home for the holidays. That said, merry Christmas (or whatever winter solstice holiday you celebrate) to all. The days are getting longer again and the next rockfish/salmon/tuna season is coming. May you and yours have almost as good a season next year as Gage.

   As promised, one picture of Gage's hand (with fish). Gage hit the surf this morning before the rain and waves got too bad and caught a few on the North end of the beach. The next couple of days probably won't be too good for any ocean activity except for watching it from a safe distance. After the big swell rolls through the perch and the Dungeness should return to the shallows. Hopefully the perch will be a little larger when they return.

    Look what's biting at Point Reyes. I don't know any more than that. I'm assuming it got tossed back, which was probably how it got there in the first place. There was some woman last month releasing tilapia into Lake Chabot in order to save them. She'll probably be disappointed when they poison the lake. Lobsters are way better than tilapia any day.  The surfperch are biting on Dillon Beach on the medium tides and soon I should be posting more pictures of Gage's hand.

   Yesterday the water was nice (except the bar on outgoing tide- no bueno) and a few boats went out and caught rockfish and Dungeness. The sea comes back up tomorrow with the Northwest wind following the rain. Commercial crab pots started dropping from Bodega Head to Gualala on Friday morning, so we're all crabbing the same water now. The Northern commercial Dungeness season has been delayed until at least the end of the year so the number of commercial boats will remain the same until early next year. Speaking of next year, the good news is that rockfish in our area will open earlier on April 1st. The bad news is that you'll only be able to keep one lingcod.

    § 27.35. San Francisco Groundfish Management Area. This Section applies to take and possession of federally-managed groundfish species as defined in Section 1.91, California sheephead, ocean whitefish, and all greenlings of the genus Hexagrammos. For specific definitions, applicability, and procedures, see sections 1.91 and 27.20. For size limits, possession limits, and other regulations that apply to individual species, see specific sections beginning with Section 27.60.
    (a) The San Francisco Groundfish Management Area means ocean waters between 38º 57.50' N. lat. (at Point Arena, Mendocino County) and 37º 11' N. lat. (at Pigeon Point, San Mateo County).
    (b) Seasons and depth constraints (except as provided in subsection (c) below): (1) January 1 through March 31: Closed. - 2 - (2) April 1 through December 31: Take of all species is prohibited seaward of a line approximating the 40-fathom depth contour along the mainland coast and along islands and offshore seamounts. The 40-fathom depth contour is defined by straight lines connecting the set of 40-fathom waypoints as adopted in Federal regulations (50 CFR Part 660, Subpart G).
    (c) Leopard shark may be taken or possessed in Drake's Bay, Bolinas Bay, Tomales Bay, Bodega Harbor, and San Francisco Bay year-round.

    § 28.27. Lingcod.
    (a) Open areas, seasons, and depth constraints: See Section 27.20 through Section 27.50 for definitions, special closure areas, and exceptions. Take and possession is authorized as follows:
     (3) San Francisco Groundfish Management Area: Open and closed dates and depth constraints as defined by Section 27.35. - 6 - 
    (b) Limit is authorized as follows: 
    (3) San Francisco Groundfish Management Area: One
    (c) Minimum size: 22 inches total length.

   Also coming in April: Salmon season will open on the 6th with a 24" minimum size.